“We
need to build an everlasting
peace, but this will only happen if
we are reconciled with one another,” Dr. Kagoda, Ministry of
Internal Affairs, dur-ing the
‘Reconciliation: The Way Forward’
Conference.
"Reconciliation requires: love, the ability
to challenge and transform conflicts and constant self-analysis,"
stated Rosalba Owya, Regional Coordinator for Coalition
for Peace in Africa, at the Youth Conference. |
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The abrupt end of the ceasefire with the Lord's Resistance
Army (LRA) on New Year's Day, 2005, dampened hopes among
citizens and leaders alike that the 19-year war in Northern
Uganda could be brought to a quick and permanent end.
Nevertheless, many people feel that the reconciliation
of communities and the rebuilding of trust are more
critical than the peace processes itself. USAID's Bureau
for Africa and USAID's Office of Conflict Management
and Mitigation (DCHA/CMM) are implementing the Northern
Uganda Peace Initiative (NUPI).The program provides
assistance to Ugandans at the government and civil society
levels to work towards an end to the conflict with the
LRA, while promoting national reconciliation.
Specifically, NUPI is helping to build consensus for
the conflict resolution process at the grassroots level
with civil society in northern Uganda and the government
in Kampala, and is advising the government in peace
talks with the LRA. NUPI has also built a foundation
for national reconciliation by providing the opportunities,
means and communication avenues to get people talking.
This includes four multiple stakeholder events: 1) a
meeting of cultural leaders; 2) a youth conference;
3) a women and peace-building camp; and 4) a general
conference entitled "Reconciliation the way forward."
The result has been progress towards a single, publicly-owned
vision for peace.
Relationships built as a result of the Women's Camp
sparked the formation of a Concerned Mother's Group
that represents small groups of child mothers living
in Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps. The group
is teaching one another agricultural and literacy skills,
while building a general sense of empowerment. More
broadly, NUPI has revitalized peace and reconciliation
teams who are bringing the message to a wider audience.
One result is the communication of these messages to
the LRA, some of whom are now returning from the bush
as an acceptance of amnesty. NUPI is enabling peace
through reestablishing, relationships, improving understanding
between groups, and above all, promoting reconciliation.
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